Yes, that is what I mean, ingrate. Are the choices i make to distance myself from capitalism and other forms of oppression part of prefigurative anarchy? That could be consumer choices I make. Or where I live or my meager attempts at growing some food and beauty. Or any choices I make that are intentionally towards living a way of life I hope will happen in the future.

if the question read "do you consider the choices you make as prefigurative?" (and then defining "prefigurative", which this spellchecker underlines red...."choices" might need more definition too, but i assume it relates to choices of buying or not buying), then i'd give a crack at an answer.

1 Answer

+2 votes

Based on what I understand you to be asking, I would say that most people make a differentiation between consumer choice and prefigurative politics, though there is perhaps some overlap. Choosing to limit one's entanglement with capitalism is sort of about making do in the here and now, whereas at least as I would use the term prefigurative politics might be more like building in ways that is "building a new world in the shell of the old."

Here might be the differences as I see them:

Lifestyle/consumer choices:

gardening

shoplifiting from home depot

dumpsterdiving food

shared living situations

squatting as an individual or group of friends

shopping at a worker's collective

Prefigurative politics:

urban community farm that supplies the neighborhood with fresh food

creating a community tool bank

Food Not Bombs or grocery distribution programs

creating intentional communal living situations

squatted social centers/ cracking squats for refugee housing

starting a worker run collective that is part of a network of others who share and exchange between them.

Does this sort of clarify how I would think of the difference? I can provide some more concrete examples of some of these in comments if that seems helpful.